"Ahem!" The middle-aged man cleared his throat, his expression tinged with awkwardness as he looked at Xuanwei.
Xuanwei had certainly given her old father a surprising welcome.
Still clinging to Xiao Fan's leg and pouting, Xuanwei's expression suddenly changed when she heard the voice behind her.
In an instant, she sprang to her feet, spinning around to glare at the middle-aged man with eyes full of resentment.
"You old geezer! How dare you show your face here?"
With that, Xuanwei stormed toward the middle-aged man, her anger palpable.
The man smiled awkwardly, just about to exchange pleasantries with his daughter, but before he could get a word out, Xuanwei had already grabbed his face fiercely.
With a swift movement, Xuanwei mounted the man's back, one hand twisting his cheek while the other tugged at his ear, all the while cursing under her breath.
"You old geezer! You stupid old man! Let's see if I don't strangle you today!"
"Ow! That hurts! Daughter, I'm your father! You're being too rough!" The middle-aged man winced in pain, but he didn't stop Xuanwei, allowing her to twist and pinch him as she pleased.
He knew all too well that unless he let Xuanwei vent her pent-up frustrations, she wouldn't let it go.
"Uh…" Xiao Fan stood there, dumbfounded by the scene unfolding before him.
To be honest, he began to doubt his earlier assumption.
Was this middle-aged man really the Immortal Emperor?
Surely not…
The Immortal Emperor was supposed to be the most revered and powerful being across all realms, someone who exuded an innate authority, commanding respect without even trying.
But the man in front of him, being bullied by his daughter without daring to fight back, didn't exactly fit that image.
The contrast was just too stark.
However, he did seem like a good father.
Xiao Fan had heard Xuanwei speak ill of the Immortal Emperor many times before.
He had assumed that the Immortal Emperor must be a cold, emotionless figure—someone who could leave his own daughter to guard the forbidden zone of the Immortal Realm for countless lonely years.
But seeing the way the Immortal Emperor treated Xuanwei now, it was clear that he cherished her deeply.
Xiao Fan couldn't help but think that there must have been some special reason behind the Immortal Emperor's decision to have Xuanwei guard the forbidden zone.
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
The onlookers were initially filled with excitement.
After all, they were witnessing the legendary Immortal Emperor in the flesh—how could they not be thrilled?
But…
In their minds, the Immortal Emperor should have been a figure of supreme majesty and holiness.
Just a glance should have been enough to inspire awe and submission.
Yet, to their shock, the Immortal Emperor was dressed plainly, with a gentle demeanor, and was being bullied by his own daughter without the slightest hint of authority.
This left the onlookers feeling confused and disillusioned.
They began to wonder if they had been wrong in their assumptions.
Was the middle-aged man in the scene really the Immortal Emperor?
At this moment, however, the Jade Pool Empress had a different view.
She recalled something her father, the Heavenly Emperor, had once told her: that the truly supreme beings weren't those who appeared outwardly powerful.
When one's cultivation reached the highest level, they would return to a state of simplicity, harmonizing with the natural order.
The first impression they gave wasn't one of overwhelming power but of an innate connection with the universe.
Without a doubt, the middle-aged man in the scene was indeed the Immortal Emperor from the myths.
Watching the carefree interaction between Xuanwei and the Immortal Emperor, the Jade Pool Empress felt a pang of emotion.
She and Xuanwei had remarkably similar backgrounds.
Xuanwei's father was the Immortal Emperor of the Immortal Realm, while her father was the Heavenly Emperor of the lower realms.
Both had been born into immense privilege and doted upon by all.
Yet her relationship with her father was nothing like the unguarded, affectionate bond between Xuanwei and the Immortal Emperor.
Her father, the Heavenly Emperor, had been stern and strict with her from a young age, to the point where she harbored deep resentment and aversion toward him.
In the end, she had fled the Heavenly Court, unable to endure it any longer.
Even though she knew she would soon be found and brought back, facing severe punishment, just escaping the Heavenly Court for a brief respite was worth it.
What she hadn't expected was that during her escape, she would meet the love of her life—her husband.
Even though she knew she would eventually be captured and returned, she had no hesitation in marrying him.
Those days, though brief, were the happiest of her life.
Unfortunately, she was eventually captured and brought back by her father's men.
This led to the lowest point in her relationship with her father.
When her father, the Heavenly Emperor, was later killed by Xiao Fan, she felt more anger than sorrow.
Her anger wasn't so much for her father's death but rather for Xiao Fan killing her husband, imprisoning his soul to curry favor with her father, and ultimately usurping the Heavenly Emperor's throne.
As for her father's death, she hadn't felt much grief.
Seeing the interaction between Xuanwei and the Immortal Emperor in the scene, the Jade Pool Empress felt a twinge of bitterness.
Even the Immortal Emperor could show such love to his daughter—why had her father, the Heavenly Emperor, been so harsh with her from the start?
As for the kind of unrestrained behavior shown in the scene, that had been utterly impossible for her.
Unconsciously, the Jade Pool Empress felt a pang of jealousy toward Xuanwei.
Xuanwei, of course, was unaware of the Jade Pool Empress's sudden jealousy.
Her attention was entirely focused on the scene displayed by the Haotian Mirror.
Suddenly, Xuanwei once again used divine light to obscure herself.
She didn't want anyone to see her current state.
Tears glistened in her eyes.
She had once harbored deep resentment toward her father, the Immortal Emperor.
She believed that he didn't care for her at all, forcing her to guard the forbidden zone of the Immortal Realm, enduring endless loneliness and isolation.
But now, seeing things from an outsider's perspective, she realized how much her father had truly cared for her.
Unfortunately, it was already too late for her to fully understand…
Recalling the terrifying scene that had flashed in her mind earlier, Xuanwei clenched her fists tightly.
Although her memories had not yet fully returned, she was certain that the Immortal Realm no longer existed.
And her father, the Immortal Emperor, had likely been consumed by the darkness along with the Immortal Realm.
The reason she had survived might have been because her father had forced her to guard the forbidden zone.
Thinking of this, Xuanwei could no longer hold back her tears, which slowly rolled down her cheeks.
She hated herself!
She hated herself for not having spent more time with her father, for not having cherished those final moments with him!
Inside the Haotian Mirror was a scene filled with both laughter and tears, while outside, the spectators were caught between amusement and sorrow.
But Xuanwei, hidden within the divine light, wept silently in her sorrow.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8